Santorini
General Information Santorini is one of the
most magical islands of Greece. It is a barren, rocky island
just opposite a volcano, with black and red beaches and towns
situated on high cliffs offering breathtaking views and
fantastic sunsets. Santorini has a dramatic beauty as opposed to
lush and green islands.
The
volcano is still active, and the last eruption was in 1950,
causing an earthquake that destroyed many villages on the
island. The island's official name is Thira and its main town,
Fira, is also the capital of the Cyclades islands. It is a
cosmopolitan island and is therefore quite expensive.
The locals live mainly off agriculture and tourism. The islands
largest export product is soil; 2.000.000 tons a year are used
all over the world, mainly to make concrete. The Suez channel
was built with this concrete for example.
Most holidaymakers stay where the beaches are, Kamari and
Perissa, but these places really do not represent the island's
amazing distinctiveness.
If you can, you should try to stay in Fira, Imerovigli or Ia,
the towns on the cliffs, which are very beautiful and full of
little cafes, shops and places of interest.There is a bus that
goes to the beaches everyday, and it is much better to be in the
towns in the evening and on the beaches during the day. If you
stay in Monolithos you will have more peace and quiet.
History Santorini used to be a round island, but
during an earthquake and volcano-outbreak in the 15th century BC the middle
of the island sunk and gave it the shape it has today. This is one of the
reasons why many believe Santorini really is where Atlantis once was. The
Minoan civilization on the
island was razed after this, but apparently, most people managed to flee.
The island has changed names through history. Originally it
was called Stroggyli ("round") since that was the shape of the island. When
the Phoenicians came they named it Kallisti ("the very best"), and finally
it got the name Thira after its first ruler.
Theras was the son of the Theban hero Autesiona who was a
descendant of
Cadmus. He was the vice king of Sparta and responsible for his
twin nephews Procle and Eurysthene. When they were old enough to rule by
themselves, Theras left Sparta with a company of aristocrats and settled on
Santorini.
The Romans originally used the island as a place for exiles,
but later helped in building up the island. The Christianization of
Santorini took place between the 2nd and 5th century. The island was often
ravaged and even destroyed by pirates and in 1204 it was conquered by the
Venetians.
It was about then the island got its current name. The
islands patron saint was Ag Irini (St Eirene) and the foreign sailors called
her St Irini - thus Santorini.
The island was destroyed by the Venetians in 1354, and once
again in 1397, this time by the conquering Turks. In 1821 Santorini joined
forces with the Greek revolutionists and the island was subsequently freed
from Turkish rule.In 1956 there was a terrible earthquake which caused many
buildings to be ruined. The people in Kamari are almost all from a village
that was totally destroyed back then.
What
to See in Satorini Akrotiri is an ancient town that was buried when the volcano
erupted 3500 years ago. Archeologists are still excavating it, but you can
walk around in the little street quarters and see the buildings almost like
they were back then. You'll be impressed by the modernity: the houses were
two or three storeys high, and they even had running water...
Ancient Thira is situated on top of high cliff just above Kamari, and there
is also and old church there from 1100. This was the Roman head quarters.
At
Oia you get the best sunsets, and both Oia and Fira are excellent
towns for just strolling around and shopping.
In Fira there is a folklore museum, a citadel from the Middle Ages, two
Mitropolis - Christian centres - a Catholic and an Orthodox. In Fira you can
go to the church of Ag Mina, which is the church that most postcards of
Santorini portray (see the logo above). If you come to Fira in September,
there is a renowned classical music festival every year.
You should also try to visit the old capital, Pyrgos.
It is very nice to go on one of the boat excursions offered. There are
sunset trips in the evenings, and daily trips to the volcano and the
opposite islands Palia Kammeni, with warm natural wells, and Thirasia, where
there is a tiny picturesque village.
What to Do In Kamari and
Karteradio there are tennis courts. In Perissa there is mini golf and
roller-skating. In Fira and Kamari there are fields for volley and
basket. There are also many places to go biking. Many people enjoy the
two hour walk from Imerovigli to Fira- it is a very beautiful
experience, but make sure you have water with you. There are also
opportunities to go horse riding. Most of the nightlife is is Kamari,
Perissa and Fira.
Beaches Santorini main beaches have
water sports. In general, Santorini is not the best place for children,
since the beaches are stony and quite deep. There are also lots of
currents and the waves can get very high. Kamari and Perissa are popular
beaches with their beautiful surroundings and black sand. If you seek
calmer beaches, it is better to go to Monolithos, Vlichada or Agios
Georgios. For snorkelling visit Amoudi.
Nightlife Santorini has a varied
nightlife, and most bars and discos are in Kamari, Perissa and Fira. Fira is
probably the most popular place, and here you shouldn't miss having a drink
in one of the little cafes on the steep side. The amazing view, relaxed
atmosphere and music from The Big Blue, for example, will give you an
unforgettable experience. Read more about Santorini
nighlife
Food You can get almost everything on
Santorini - from traditional Greeks food to international gourmet
dinners.Try the local wine and see what you think!!!
Shopping Santorini is a bit of a
cosmopolitan island, just the number of luxury yachts that stop here is
very high for such a small island, so it is quite expensive. Many
artists live here, and you can buy a lot of original stuff - handpainted
umbrellas, ceramics, jewellery, art etc. You can also get nice icons,
but be careful, anything older than 1821 needs a special permit to be
exported. There is also local wine worth trying and taking with you.
Getting Around Santorini is
quite a small island, and it is easy to get around. There are local
buses to take you to most places, but of course you can also rent a car
or a bike. There are also taxis on the island.
The harbour where the ferryboats stop is connected to Fira and the rest
of the island by a steep serpentine road. Driving up or down this road
is quite a terrifying experience for anyone afraid of heights. You can
also walk (almost 900steps) or take a donkey ride all the way. There is
also a cable car taking you straight to Fira - also not recommended for
the above mentioned.
Getting There Santorini has its
own airport for domestic and international flights. There are ferries to Santorini from Athens Piraeus 2-3 times a
day, from Rafina four times a week, Ios-Naxos-Paros 2-3 times a day, Syros
twice a week, Milos twice a week, Sikinos - Folegandros 4 times a week,
Mykonos-Delos daily, Rhodes twice a week, Crete daily.
In general, Santorini is a great place to start if you want to go island
hopping, since it is connected to most Cycladic islands.
| Facts about Santorini*
|
Phone numbers*
|
| Size: 76 sq km (L:18km,
W:2,5km) |
International code: 0030 |
| Population: about 10,000 |
Local code: 22860 |
| Cash machine: Yes in Fira
and Kamari |
Health center: Fira: 22232 ,Oia:
71227 |
| Internet cafe: Yes |
Emborios: 29222
,Pyrgos:31207 |
| Highest Mountain: Profitis
Elias 956m |
Police (Fira): 22649 |
| Airport: Yes expect 20-30min
transfer |
Taxi: 22555 |
| |
Coast guard: 22239 |
| Tour Operators:Libra, JMC,
Apollo, Ving |
Post office: 22238 |
| Tourist Office (Fira) 27111 |
Telephone company (OTE):
22399 |
*The info displayed may be inaccurate. If changes have been made, please let us know.
Santorini map
Santorini accommodation
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